Stubborn Love
by wiccangrrl13
Summary: It's been about a year since Rory Gilmore spent the last night with the boy she loves. And in that short year everything has changed, especially her.
1. Chapter 1

So this has been playing in my head, over and over and it wouldn't go away so finally I just gave in and wrote it. I'm not sure if I should continue it, or just let it be. I haven't given up on London Rain, far from it, I'm actually working on it today a bit.

So please let me know what you, if any of you read this, think of it and if I should continue.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. GG belongs to ASP.

 **Stubborn Love**

Chapter 1 – *Yellow Lines

 _I came back to find ya_ _  
_ _South Carolina_ _  
_ _Heard from the Golden Gate you'd come back in style_ _  
_ _House by the ocean_ _  
_ _Beat in my heart again_ _  
_ _Startin' a family on nickels and dimes_ __

 _Sometimes_ _  
_ _All those Yellow Lines_ _  
_ _Winding through the pines_ _  
_ _Drop you in the ocean like a stone_ _  
_ _Now your body's home_ _  
_ _Now you're free to roam_ _  
_ _Laughing 'cause you know you're not alone_

Finn can't help but laugh at the flourish surrounding his arrival at the New England rehab facility. His money always made people act crazy. He was only going to be here for a short time, his knee and hip replacement made his stay at the facility a necessity but he was pretty sure the facility had created a room all for him. NERF was no secret to the rich. It was equipped with the best and newest machines and the brightest of physicians and therapists and every room was made to be private so anyone who was anyone in New England came here; however the fact that his money spanned oceans had them rolling out the red carpet even more.

As he is gently moved from the wheelchair to the deluxe, plush bed, he smiles at the nurse. She is young, and cute and he fully intends on banking that for after his recovery. Yes, she is a redhead.

Finally alone in his room he adjusts to his surrounding and plugs in his MacBook behind the bed. Firing it up he opens his emails. Dozens roll in, mostly from the office. He may be convalescing, but he is not on vacation. He fully intends to run the business from this damn hospital bed if necessary.

His vacation was what had landed him in here. One drunk planning secession with his boys, yes the same boys. Years may have passed but he, Colin, Robert and Logan were will always be close friends. One plane ride to Tahiti and One parachute jump out of an air plane that landed him on some rocks and busted his knee and hip and caused a massive rush to the hospital had more then take his allotted vacation time for the next two years.

He'd taken over running the family business a few years ago. The days of freedom and lying around the beach had ended when his father had gotten sick, and not a day goes by where he regrets any of it. In fact, Finn has found that his ability to run the business has far exceeded his wildest imagination, and any ability he thought he had. He's surprised himself, though not his father, who takes every opportunity to tell anyone how he knew his son could do it all along, and how proud of him he is.

He father had recovered from the massive heart attach, but never took back over the reigns. He said it was a sign that it was time that he took a step back and spent more time with his wife. Finn was never happier to have had such a role model in the relationship department. His parents weren't perfect, far from it, but they truly loved one another and made an honest effort to work through any tough times. No one just gave up on the other and in the end their love and marriage was stronger for that.

He opens the instant messaging and sees immediately that Colin is online. He shoots him a quick message that he's here, and fine and that he'll call the guys in a few days. Turning back to his messages he answers all that he can at this hour of the day before settling in and taking his pain medication, that he knows will cloud his judgments and thinking. Tomorrow will be the first day of fixing this stupid situation he's found himself in and he fully intends to be a success story.

 _Step out on the dance floor_ _  
_ _She throws me a handful_ _  
_ _Wants me to spin her 'round the rest of the night_ _  
_ _Look up, we're "Oh, shit"_ _  
_ _Clocks on the four again_ _  
_ _Yes I could spin you around the rest of our lives_ __

 _Sometimes_ _  
_ _All those Yellow Lines_ _  
_ _Winding through the pines_ _  
_ _Drop you in the ocean like a stone_ _  
_ _Now your body's home_ _  
_ _Now you're free to roam_ _  
_ _Laughing 'cause you know you're not alone_ _  
_ _You're not alone_

Morning comes and Finn is awakened by the sound of the nurses in his room. They are already prepping his daily medications and someone from the kitchen has brought him his breakfast. He stares at the egg whites, turkey bacon, toast, coffee and orange juice. It's been along time since he's had anything more then a grapefruit. It has always been his breakfast of choice.

"Trust me, you're gonna need that energy for therapy." The morning nurse, also a cute girl, though brunette this time, says as he eyes the plate.

"I could think of a great way to burn off these calories." He plays up the Aussie accent because it usually wins him points with the ladies.

"Not a chance in hell, Mr. Morgan, but you can always dream." She smiles at him as she pushes the bed tray closer to him. "Eat. Alonzo will be here in about an hour to take you to PT. So we've got to get you fed and bathed an dressed before then."

"Sponge bath? And you can call me Finn." He mumbles with a mouth full of eggs.

The nurse smiles seductively, and produces and small bowl and soft looking loofa sponge and walks slowly towards Finn, "After you're done with that, I'm going to have George here, help you into the chair, at which point, he's going to leave, and then I am going to roll you into the very, very private bathroom over there, fill up this bowl with, hot, steamy, water and soap, and then when it's finally ready for you, I'm going to close the damn door and let you do whatever the hell guys like you do when you're alone in a bathroom. Though I don't think it take much imagination to figure that out."

Finn almost chocks on his food at this fun attitude towards him. He loves a challenge.

"I'm your nurse, Mr. Morgan, not you're in flight entertainment. Enjoy the food I'll be back in 15 with George."

She and George leave, though not without a chuckle from the heavyset man on the way out.

Finn dutifully eats the food before him and once again checks his mail to see how the workday is going. So far it seems his assistance has things under control and only a few question have arisen that really just need yes or no answers from him.

"Heard you're tucked in safely, man. Call me when you're settled."

He reads the IM from Logan. For a while that boy had dropped off the face of the earth. After their impromptu trip to the place that shall not be named to surprise she who shall not be named he had returned home with a need to bury himself in his fathers business. Of course it's still his fathers business because for all of Mitchum's bravado about wanting Logan to take over one day, he had no intention of actually letting Logan take over until, at last, Logan would have to pry the business from his cold, dead hands.

But after what Finn realized appeared to be a final goodbye between Logan and his beloved the man needed to stop holding on to the past and focus on what his life was like, right then and there. It'sbeen less than a year since that night.

Unfortunately for the boys that meant that Logan went M.I.A. Until the invitation for the wedding had arrived Finn thought that maybe the only way for Logan to let go of Rory was to let go of them too. He's happy that his friend has not forgotten about them, but he is less than thrilled about the impending nuptials. It wasn't just about one thing. Odette wasn't some comic book villain that had stolen Logan away from Rory and his friends. She was just a girl. A girl not unlike them, caught up in the web of family responsibility. She was a girl that had money and a girl expected to marry into money and bring more money and respect to her family.

Not unlike the boys were, however it was far more pressed on the women in their society to this do. Having always loved musicals, Finn always thought of the women in his society like the Schuyler sisters from Hamilton, living a world where their only job was to marry rich. The sad thing was, guys like Finn, and Logan, found those types of women boring. Ambitious, bawdy, and intelligent women were way more fun to be around, and girls like Odette just settled for the man her father thought she should marry and the life he thought she should live.

And, Ok, in a world before Logan was supposed to be engaged to her Finn had actually tapped that. Hey, he said intelligent girls were the ones you wanted for Mrs. Right, not Mrs. Right now. However Logan didn't know about that incident. Regardless of the idiots they were at University they didn't often compare notes on which girl they had hooked up with. The ones they talked about were the ones that mattered… like Rory.

It had been news to Finn when he'd found out about Logan's sisters entire bridesmaid's party he'd slept with, because all Finn and the guys ever heard about was Rory. How much he loved her, how happy he was with her, what an amazing future he thought they would have, and then how sad he was, how bad he'd fucked up when her friend Jess had come to visit and how she'd broken up with him and he wanted to get her back.

But, like Logan, Finn understood. Maybe it was a guy thing, he didn't know, but sometimes the only way to forget, even for just a few moments, how bad you're hurting is to get drink and get laid. Mostly it really didn't work. When you were drunk all you could think about was the girl that made you want to drink and when you were actually in the process of hooking up with the random girl it was all about how she didn't smell like the one you missed, how she didn't feel like her, or how if you closed your eyes tight enough, maybe you could even image it was the one you really wanted. And when it was over, when you'd actually slept with the random girl, well then you really wanted to drink and forget because how could you have just done that with some girl that wasn't the one you really loved?

It was all a vicious cycle that he thought Logan had finally opted out of. However the minute he ran into Rory again, wherever that had taken place, Odette became that random. Rory was in his heart and head and had always been and even though Logan had never said the words out loud he knew that he had hoped this time it would last. This time she would love him, the way he had loved her, and when it didn't happen, well he just let Odette become the permanent distraction.

Chloe, the sassy brunette does as she promises with George in tow and helps him settle into the chair and escorts him to bathroom where she does exactly as promised and leaves him alone. Afterwards he lets her wheel him to physical therapy.

He gets along with Javier, his instructor, well enough. The man is not overly friendly, but he pushes Finn to do more when he tries to stop because truth be told, this is already a harder process than he's expected. Learning to use his knee and hip again is hard work. He's quieter on the ride back to his room with Chloe, he's in pain and silence is his current pain medicine.

The nurse shows him how to get himself into bed, though cautions him to call if he does need to get up.

"Little bit more work then you thought?" she nudges him nicely.

"Little bit more pain, Love." He says.

"Look at it this way, you had a medically necessary surgery that will inevitably give you back your ability to walk, and your pain may be high while you work your way through this, but there's a lot of people in here that won't walk again."

"I know." He says.

"I know you do." She responds as she hands him some pain medication. "Just thought you might need a little reminder. That first day of therapy is usually a shock to the system."

He nods at her in agreement, "Thank you." He says as she leaves him alone to once again check his emails and try to get some work accomplish, but he's really just exhausted and quickly closes his MacBook to take a nap.

The next few days come and go quickly and his first week passes with not as much progress as he expected but all the nurses and the therapists promise he's right on schedule.

He now has the ability get himself in and out of bed and into the chair he is still suppose to using for the majority of the day, but at lest it provides some sense of freedom.

Today he's sitting in what they call a library, to try and get some work done. He's learned to try and schedule his therapy for later in the day so he can actually work, but truth be told he's a mess of pain and tiredness afterwards and all he wants to do is soak in the hot tub and sleep.

Being out and about has allowed him the ability to meet new people and it's also given him the opportunity to stay humble. He's seen some of the others that won't get the use of their bodies back learn how to take care of themselves. It's amazing what a human can do when they set their minds to it.

He finishes his last conference call, and emails and closes up what he's decided is his new office because really, no one uses the library. Mostly the residents play Ping-Pong or watch TV in their room. This is after all a private facility because most people here want just that.

Another day is over and done and he heads to the PT room and his therapist for another day of having to be up and using the limb he's been stupid enough to destroy.

After a long soak in the spa he's back in his room and opens his lap top again, this time not to work. He misses his friends. Thankfully there's already a few messages from the guys and so he starts a group chat and tells them all the details about what he's been doing and the facility.

Colin decides he's going to visit the coming week and Logan who is still in London for another week will come when he's back in Hartford. He's finally talked Odette into leaving the gloomy land of London and moving to the states, but of course she can't just come here. Logan has to come ahead and stay with his parents while he finds a house for them.

Finn is slightly afraid of what kind of damage Mitchum and Shira will be able to do to Logan in that time, though part of him knows that Logan's been broken since the fateful night in New Hampshire and it doesn't look like he's going to heal anytime soon.

So the plan is for Colin and Finn to make sure Logan spends as little time there as humanly possible, which means that most of Colin's visit will be the two of them searching for houses that Colin will then show him when he's here.

Why Colin you ask? Well that's because after his father died, his family essentially paid him to NOT be part of the family businesses and while he still has more than enough money to live extremely comfortable for the rest of his life the boy got bored and got his Real Estate License.

"I see you're still not a big fan of the lights out rule?" Chloe says as she enters his room.

"What are rules if not made to be broken, Love." Fin laughs, "What are you doing here at this late hour?"

"Switched shifts with Adrianne."

"Couldn't stand to be away from me, could you?"

"It's true. Ok, I'll just admit it. This job's not really about a pay check. It's always been about you. I mean I put myself through nursing school because something told me that one day Finn Morgan would be here. "

He can't help but laugh. He loves talking to her. She's definitely taken priority over the red head he'd first thought he'd be into. She makes the days more bearable.

 _And the only heartache_ _  
_ _That I ever faced_ _  
_ _Was a need of fortune_ _  
_ _And a dream of fame_ _  
_ _I took those empty feelings and turned them into love_ _  
_ _It cheats time_ _  
_ _It's the eye_ _  
_ _In the storm of the universe_ _  
_ _I got mine_ _  
_ _Where do you think that you will find yours_

Finn wakes up as usual, nurses and a kitchen worker in his room and goes though his morning PT which now includes using a walker. The wheelchair is gone and while sometimes he misses it, he's proud of the progress he's making. He's in his room preparing to head to the library when Colin appears in his doorway.

"If you wanted more of my attention you just had to say something. I know you're in love with me and watching me with other men is hard, but really, Finn all you had to do was ask."

The two shake hello and laugh. Colin came out not long after graduation, probably why his family thought it worth the money to pay him out of the business, but his friends, his real friends never had a second thought about it.

"How was the drive?"

"Oh I talked to the new guy Sam I met online all the way here. We're gonna meet for lunch tomorrow."

"He's cute." Finn says. There's no shame in his game. A good-looking man is a good-looking man.

"He's more then cute, he's damn hot." He says and takes a seat.

Together they find quite a few houses they feel will be more than suitable for Logan and his soon to be new wife.

"Can you believe it's been almost a year since Logan dragged us all the way to that providential Stars Hallow?"

"I miss mother every day." Finn says. He's always had a soft spot for his friends love. He really believed they were meant to be; unfortunately the two always seemed to find a way to mess it up.

"You think Logan does too? Or is he really too brainwashed by his father?"

Finn uses his walker to get himself to the chair across from Colin, "I'd like to think somewhere deep down inside the man still thinks for himself." Finn says.

"So, how's the talent in here?" Colin changes the subject.

"For me or you?"

The men laugh together, "Both I suppose." Finn adds.

"It's been pretty quiet here. Most of the current residents are permanently disabled so I'm in a different area. Plus work has kept me from being my usual, social self."

"OMG it does has friends!" Chloe says in surprise as she enters the room.

"It?" Colin comments

"I figured that was better than Man-child." She laughs as she hands Finn his meds.

"I take full offense to that my Love." Finn laughs

"As you should." She says. "Nurse Chloe." She introduces herself.

"Colin." He introduces himself.

"I see…" she laughs.

"What?"

"I mean, remember George?" She nods to Finn

"I do, where'd he go?"

"Got moved to the paralysis wing. He however must have asked me 200 time who the guy was in the picture you put on the board." She motions to bulletin board the hospital supplies for patients to personalize their rooms.

Colin raises an eyes brow, "Is he cute?"

"Total Bear." She responds.

"I told her to tell him you weren't interested."

"You did what?!" Colin exclaim

"I'm kidding!"

"He's kidding." She laughs, "I never told Finn that. Wasn't sure how he'd respond." She says.

"Picture?" Colin pushes

She pulls out her phone and shows him a picture of her friend.

"Yum." Colin purrs.

"I think I might be a little jealous." Finn says

"Well get use to it, friend. Hook a new friend up?" he nudges Chloe

She pulls out Finns chart after having taken his blood pressure and drawn some blood. She scribbles the check up notes and then turns to Colin, "Only if you double with me and this guy I met on Match."

Both guys look at each other and stifle a laugh.

"What?!" she exclaims a tings of a southern accent comes out that Finn notices and adores immediately. She's obviously not a New England native and he wonders where she's from.

"As in ?" Colin smirks.

"I'm too busy to just go to bars and hang out and meet people." She defends her dating site decisions with a laugh. Knowing just how ridiculous it all sounds.

"I mean I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'll double with you and anyone if it means I get to date that man."

"Did he just call me a horse?" she says to Finn

"I think he did.."

"That's not what I meant."

"You know, maybe, now that I'm thinking about it, I think George might not be so available." She says to Colin

"Ok, Ok. I'm sorry, my Goddess." Colin responds.

"Whatever. Seriously, if you give me your number I'll have George call you and let you know when and where. Sound good?"

"Sounds great."

"Cool." She says as she packs up her things. "Keep pushing this one he's doing great and hopefully will only be using a cane by next week."

"Then he can walk and talk like a dirty old man."

"Bye." She says as she leaves the two friends.

"I like her. She's sassy." Colin adds

"That she is, Mate." Finn says.

"You like her."

"I don't."

"You do. Want me to ruin this Internet date of hers?"

"No!" Finn says forcefully even though part of him does. But right now he's not in any position to actively pursue anyone, especially someone that could be a long haul girl.

"Listen Mate, it's been great to see you today, but I've got to get some work done before the start of business in London. So…"

"Ok , I get it, I get it. I'll be back tomorrow and well, every day probably till you get sick of me, or until Logan gets his lazy ass here to actually go look at these houses."

The two friends say their goodbyes and part ways. Finn grabs his laptop and heads off to his makeshift office/library. He's got a conference call and some papers to go over and sign or make changes too. He pulls a bag over his shoulder to carry the work so he can use the walker. As hard as the workouts have been he has to admit it has become easier to walk.

He takes off his bag and deposits it on the one desk in the room with a loud thud. A light squeal of surprise at the sound catches his attention. He's so use to being alone he'd not even realized there was someone in a wheelchair in the room. A girl.

"Oh, Love I'm sorry. I thought I was alone in here as usual. Sorry to startle you." He quickly apologizes.

"Oh. My. God."

He hears the words before he's had a chance to turn and actually acknowledge the other person in the room. But the voice he hears is surprisingly familiar.

"Finn?" The woman says.

Finn can't help the smile that plays on his lips as he responds. "Rory Gilmore."

 _Sometimes_ _  
_ _All those Yellow Lines_ _  
_ _Winding through the pines_ _  
_ _Drop you in the ocean like a stone_ _  
_ _Now your body's home_ _  
_ _Now you're free to roam_ _  
_ _Laughing 'cause you know you're not alone_ _  
_ _You're not alone_

*Lyrics are Yellow Lines by Brendan James


	2. Highway Don't Care

So, my health has been crappy and I can't help that but I've a really good few days so I've done a few update on my story London Rain, but AURORALESLEY asked and so you shall receive. Thanks for still reading it means a lot.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but love it all.

Chapter 2 – *Highway Don't Care

 _Bet your window's rolled down and your hair's pulled back  
And I bet you got no idea you're going way too fast  
You're trying not to think about what went wrong  
Trying not to stop 'til you get where you goin'  
You're trying to stay awake so I bet you turn on the radio and the song goes\_

 _I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, baby_

"Oh. My. God."

He hears the words before he's had a chance to turn and actually acknowledge the other person in the room. But the voice he hears is surprisingly familiar.

"Finn?" The woman says.

Finn can't help the smile that plays on his lips as he responds. "Rory Gilmore."

"I can't believe it." She says again. "You're the last person I expected to see here."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He laughs as he walks over to hug her.

"It is!" She exclaims and returns the hug.

Finn makes a realization though, as he leans down to hug the girl. She has remained sitting, in a wheel chair.

"You ok, Love?" He motions as he pulls back up.

"Not so much. Long story." She tries to change the topics. "What are you doing here?"

Finn points dramatically to his hip and gives her a brief run down of the accident.

"You're never going to change are you?" she laughs

"Not if I can help it. Now don't think I didn't notice that change of subject there. Fill in the blanks for me please, Love."

"Car accident, about three months ago."

"And you're still here? Several surgeries?"

"Nope. One surgery and "traumatic" spinal injury that has apparently healed in an unfortunate way."

"Paralyzed?" He asks, afraid she will confirm what he thinks he's hearing.

"Meet my new best friend. I've named her baby, and no one puts baby in a corner. " She motions to the chair beneath her in confirmation.

He is quiet, unsure of how to proceed.

She laughs at him, his conflicted expression clear on his face.

"It's not funny, Love." He says, but giggles along with her. Her laugh has always been infections.

"I'm sorry Finn but you looked so confused."

"I'm just not sure how to respond." He admits.

"It is what it is."

His laptop chimes in his bag on the table, "Duty calls." He laments.

"Family business?" she questions as he walks to the desk.

"No surprises here."

"That must really cut into your drinking time." She quips

"You'd be surprised." He adds as he opens the machine and puts in his earpiece. "Morgan." He states to the person on the other end.

Rory takes the book she was looking at him before she was interrupted and puts it in her lap. She turns her chair around and begins to roll out of the room.

"Give me just moment, Mate." Finn responds to the person on the phone, "Love, I am no where near done with you." He gently warns her.

She takes his phone from the table and opens the notepad and type in her room number. "Now, get back to work." She commands.

"Slave driver." He jokes and can only half hear what his associate is saying as he watches that once so vibrant girl from his youth turn and roll out of the library.

 _I bet you got a dead cell phone in your shotgun seat  
Yeah, I bet you're bending God's ear talking 'bout me.  
You're trying not to let the first tear fall out  
Trying not to think about turning around  
You're trying not to get lost in the sound but that song is always on, so you sing along_

 _I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without you I can't live without you baby, oh baby_

Back in her room Rory closes the door behind her. She was suppose to be gone by now. Suppose to be home, suppose to be trying to get her life back into so me semblance of what is use to be, back to trying to be her, whoever the hell that was. If it wasn't for her mom and her grandmother asking her very nicely to say here for just a little bit longer, she would have run, well rolled away screaming. In the last year her life had gone to shit. Not need to mince words here. Shit, her life had gone to shit. A year ago she had whatever it was that you wanted to call what she had with Logan, but she had him, and she had the promise of still being able to get her writing career off the ground. She had momentum finally from her few articles that had been published and a website practically stalking her to let them hire her, and a few suprises along the way that she'd actually been happy about, and suddenly in that one moment, that one second, it all changed.

Sure by the time of her accident she'd already screwed up the thing with Logan, and ruined any chance of SandeeSays into the ground, and she was living at home with her mom and Luke again, but there was one thing she was surprisingly happy about. One little thing.

One little thing that was suppose to grow over nine months. One little thing that she would hold in her arms one day, but the driver of the big rig who fell asleep at the wheel and t-boned her car on her way home from Jess's clearly had other idea. The doctor thinks she must have lost the baby on impact.

Jess has been her rock. Since the day she found of she was pregnant he had been there. Being the first person she told, even before her mom. She had been feeling sluggish and tired and more than a little nauseous when she checked the date on her phone and it struck her like a live electrical current. That night that last night, so impromptu, so fun, so hard to let him go, had been the one and only time they had ever not used protection.

Maybe it was the knowledge that in the morning she would have to send him home, for good. He was getting married and this, "Vegas" deal she had initiated was now too hard for her to handle. She loved him, had always loved him, and saying goodbye over and over too hard to do anymore. She needed to say it once more, and then never again, because she knew too many more goodbyes would break her. She had wanted to be close to him, in a way she had never been, no barriers. It wasn't a conscious decision, it was just that she didn't even think about stopping him when he kissed her and began to remove her clothing.

The years had been good to the man that lay next to her in his room at The King's Head Inn but he now belonged to someone and she had to let him go. She knew this was their last night and maybe on some level he did too, because the boy who was always prepared didn't stop once she in his arms, either. That night there were no boundaries between them as they said their silent goodbyes. The hat he sat so gently on her head before letting her go. Once again, giving her all the power in their relationship and respecting her wishes when she knew he didn't want to. That was what Logan did. He respected her wished even when he disagreed, even when part of her had wished he would have fought for her, told her that he was leaving Odette and he wanted her and only her. But she knew in her heart that he wouldn't. She had hurt him too badly all those years ago for him to want to take the chance. It should have been her.

That was the last time she'd seem them all. Her friends that she missed so dearly, and the love of the boy, the man that she'd always wanted had walked out of her life and left her a piece of him she never expected. The baby was a shock to say the lest, but knowing that she would hold a piece of him so close to her gave her some semblance of peace. She had struggled in deciding what or if to tell him. He was after all getting married, and a Huntzberger and with Mitchum as a grandfather she was a little afraid of the entire situation, and looking back at her and her mom, she suddenly saw the reason's her mom raised her alone.

She loved her dad, but Christopher wasn't someone you could depend on. He was barely a responsible adult even in his late 40's. While there were many things he and Logan shared, being irresponsible wasn't one of them. If she told Logan about that baby he would do what was right. No matter Odette or his father, Logan would be there for the baby, but at what cost? It could cost him everything, and she refused to do anything else to hurt the man she loved.

Needing some time she found herself in Philadelphia, and parked in front of Trucheon Books hoping maybe that Jess was home. She opened the door to the business front and walked in. Her first sight of Jess takes her breath away. That troubled young boy had turned into a very handsome, confident, successful man. He was her friend, her best friend now a days it seemed, and really since her mom and Luke had gotten married he was family.

"I'll be with you in a minute." He says over his shoulder not even looking at her. He's talking to man and when he fished he turns and she see him from the corner of her eyes as she browsing the shelves looking at the books he's published.

"Well I'll be dammed, Gilmore." He saunters over in only the way he can and hugs her.

"The one and only." She smiles back and hug him.

"UH oh. What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

"A surprise visit from you Gilmore always means you've got something on your mind."

She laughs because she knows he's right.

"Come on lets' go grab some dinner and you tell me all about it." He says.

He says his goodbyes to his partners and the head over to the nearest burger place.

They two sit and talk about life and laugh and enjoy each other and the food for a couple of hours before Jesse finally turns the light conversation.

"So, what's going on with you and Logan?"

"Huh?"

"I've seen the face before, several times and it's usually about him."

"I haven't seen…"

"Dee Dee?" He raises an eyebrow. "You're "friend" in London?"

"How did you…?"

"You always come back from there just a little bit happier than when you left."

"I can't believe you figured it out. I can't tell if my mom knows or not."

"Shed have told Luke and he'd have asked me so I doubt it. Now spill."

"We said goodbye a couple of weeks ago."

"For how long?"

"I said a couple of weeks ago."

"I mean how long is goodbye for this time?"

She gives him an incredulous look. He continues, "You said goodbye at your graduation, you said goodbye after Hamburg, you said goodbye after you found out about Odette, and now you've said goodbye again. You two clearly don't know how to say goodbye."

"She moved in with him finally. I can't ignore the situation anymore and I can't go there and stay in a hotel while he sneaks away to see me. I guess being able to stay at his place when I was there made her and the engagement seem less real. But she's there, in the bed I slept in, or I guess I should say she's in her bed. At that point it was too fucked up even for me."

"How far along are you?" He says again, making Rory's mouth fly open and hang there.

"You always have a drink, always, and this time, not even a sip from mine… there's only one reason, for you, that's you not touch it at all."

Rory looks down, sad, embarrassed, unable to make eye contact with the boy she'd date so many moons ago. Granted this was why she'd come to talk to him, maybe not this directly, in fact she didn't even want to talk about this specific subject. She's not dumb, and she knows that the boy sitting across from her has always cared about her and she doesn't want to hurt him.

"Just tell me Rory. You know I've always got your back." He reassures her, "No judgment. Promise."

"8 Weeks." She finally says.

"What does he say?"

She says nothing again, and the dark haired boy pushes, "He's not ok with it?"

She doesn't want to say she hasn't told him, so she responds, "He's getting married."

"Even after this?" He's genuinely surprised. He may not have ever liked Logan, the guy was in love with the same girl he was, but he knew that the boy did love her, and he can't imagine that he would ever have said no to her, not now especially, with a baby on the way. Did Logan love that other girl more than Rory?

"Being a single mom is not is the end of the world, Jess. My mom did it."

"So did mine and you see how that turned out."

"You're an amazing guy Jess."

"No thanks to her." He responds. He's not so angry at his mom like he use to be, but she didn't exactly make him the man he is now, that was Luke.

For a few moments there are no words exchanged as everything settles in, "So then you're keeping it." He finally says, it's not a question.

"I am. I don't think I had really made that decision until right now. I am." She repeats those two words and knows that it's never really been a decision. This baby was made out of love and there's no way in hell she'd ever not have him or her.

"Well, then, what do we do next?" He downs the rest of the beer and steadies himself. "Doctor appointment? Prenatal vitamins?"

She looks at him surprised, but she knows she shouldn't be, he has always been there for her, unless he was telling her he loves her and running away. But that scared little boy was long gone.

"I'm going to tell my mom tomorrow after the wedding. I just saw my doctor today to confirm it and she already gave me what I needed. I can let you know when I know more." She admits to him.

"Of course, I'll do with you, if you want me to."

"I haven't told Logan." She finally admits.

"You have to." He says, now finally understanding why the man isn't here right now tell him to get the hell away from her.

" I know." She relents. "I'll tell him, just let me get through this wedding, and I'll tell him."

"I'm gonna hold you to that Gilmore." He says.

She nods and takes a sip of her water and takes the pause to change the conversation, "You still dating Rebecca?"

"You bet your ass I am. She's pretty special." He says. They'd met a club where she was singing and he's never told anyone this, but those feeling he use to always secretly harbor for Rory, were null and void. The brunette singer with the hazel eyes had stolen his heart that night and he's pretty sure he's never getting it back. The last few months with her have been the happiest he's ever had, and he can imagine a future like he's never been able to do.

The two friends sit and talk about everything for few more hours, and Rory is now more than content with everything that's happened to her for a long time. This baby would come into her life and even if she never got another chance to make things right with the daddy she would always have a little piece of him in her life, just the piece he would always hold in heart.

They say their goodbyes and she gets into her car and heads home. The smile on her face won't yield to any other emotions. She's happy, genuinely happy. Tomorrow her mom will marry Luke, and she'll walk her mom down the aisle, she'll tell her mom about the baby, her grandmother too, and then mostly importantly, Logan. That one scares her more then anything else, but it doesn't matter, she's going to be a mom, and that makes her feel better then anything else in the world.

Those are the last things she remember though, that and a very bright light.

 _The highway won't hold you tonight  
The highway don't know you're alive  
The highway don't care if you're all alone, but I do, I do.  
The highway won't dry your tears  
The highway don't need you here  
The highway don't care if you're coming home, but I do, I do._

 _I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without you I can't live without you, baby, oh baby_

Lyrics are Highway Don't Care by Tim McGraw


End file.
